tjj

I’ve visited this long barrow before but on each previous occasion the chambers have been closed to visitors. Today was my first opportunity to go inside.
A hot summer’s day, as we approached along the edge of a field of unripe wheat a raven rose up from the barrow – a good sign. Externally the barrow was covered in high grass and wild flowers – internally it was dark and cool with a low lintel stone to scramble under to gain access. The ground is covered with loose Cotswold stone chippings so hard on the knees, especially in light summer clothes. However, once inside it becomes almost possible to stand – I could see the chamber at the back of the barrow but did not venture that far in.

This is one of my favourite long barrows to visit – it always feels ‘away from it all’ in spite of the road only being a field distance away. Today there was a raven and later a buzzard.

Sad to report, the exterior of the lintel stone had been vandalised by some idiot scratching the word ‘Beware’ and someone’s name on it. My companion also reported similar damage inside.

Have wanted to visit this place for some time and today was the day.
“Clearwell Caves are part of an extensive natural cave system that became partially filled with iron ore 180,000,000 years ago. No one knows when mining for iron ore first began in the Forest of Dean, but the Caves are one of the earliest mines in the British Isles, begun well over 4,000 years ago, when they were first worked for coloured iron oxide or ochres to use as pigment.” (information taken from Visitor’s Guide)
The temperature inside the caves is 10 degrees (which is also the temperature at which spring water emerges from the ground) so take an extra layer if you go on a warm day. We only went to the upper level which goes down 100 feet – it is possible to descend to a much deeper level but this requires hard hats, protective clothing and a caving guide. The caves are a series of caverns known as churns, linked together by tunnels, the largest of which is Pillar Churn named after a large column of stone in the centre. The reservoir in this cavern controls the water that seeps through a disused shaft in the roof. The large flat roof is composed of a very solid rock known as Whitehead Limestone, referred to as ‘lidstone’ because it forms the roof of most of the caverns. There is a fine example of 20th century cave art on the wall in this cavern – a skeleton painted by students in the 1960s.
Clearwell Caves are home to a variety of bats including the greater horseshoe, natterers, and long-eared but the most numerous is the lesser horseshoe (ref: Visitor’s Guide). None made an appearance today. Also found here is the ‘Meta menardi’ or European Cave Spider (an orb-weaving spider) – didn’t see one of those either.

Just as fascinating is the nearby ‘Secret Forest’ which is full of ‘scowles’ ie ravines and rock formations overhung with the tree roots of ancient yews. Thought to be where iron mining began, just outside the wood there are some replica Iron Age round houses which are definitely worth a visit. secretforest.co.uk/
A short distance up the road is Puzzle Wood, similar to the Secret Forest but far more disorientating, like caves above rather than below ground, very twisty and dark (believed to have inspired Tolkien’s Middle Earth) again the temperature dropped considerably – almost like being in caves.
Unfortunately, today I left my camera at home so no photos except the ones on my friend’s camera which I don’t have access to as yet.

This was a ‘wonderful surprise’. Again, I have Margaret Curtis to thank for pointing it out. It was a very windy, chilly, bright day and I took a few minutes for myself to run and look at this stone. Some ancient sites induce a sensation of euphoria, this was definitely one of them – the wind, the rolling clouds and the blue sea in front of me gave me a momentary feeling of flying. What more can I say.

Photographed the information board and have reproduced the text below:

“In this field today stands a solitary standing stone almost 2 metres high, overlooking the Sound of Taransay. It has remained in this position for up to 5,000 years since the Neolithic period or Early Bronze Age. Across the Sound, another standing stone is set above the shore on the island of Taransay, and a third, Clach MhicLeoid, is on Aird Nisabost to the north-east. Over the years local legends have gathered around the stone. In one, a giantess was gathering limpets on the shore and, striking a stone with her hammer, it flew off in three pieces, which landed at each of the three sites.
The Scarista bardess Seonag NicSuain wrote a ‘Song of Steineagaidh Stone’
‘Some say in the village
(though unproven so far)
‘Tis a headstone of a chieftain
From Fingalian’s war.

Should arms and battle
Stir up, as of yore,
Won’t he have to struggle
From ‘neath Steineagaidh Stone

Each man will retire
In peace to sleep in pastures
But over Finlay’s land
The big stone will be watching’

When the stone was first raised, however, it was part of a complex prehistoric ritual site. In front of the stone stood a large circle of 12 or 13 atones more than 40 metres in diameter, indicated now by several fallen stones or the stony sockets in which they had stood. Behind the stone is also a large circular mound which, if contemporary with the circle, may be the remains of a burial cairn. Geophysical survey has shown that around all of this was a ditch, either man-made or natural, that defined the edges of the monument.

The scale and complexity of the original site, and its proximity to other standing stones, suggest that this was the this was the focus for prehistoric religious activity in Harris, as Calanais was for Lewis.

The field wall is said to have been built from the demolished houses of the Scarista tenants who were cleared from the area in the 19th century.”

I have Margaret Curtis to thank for pointing this one out. She joined me and Friend for our trip down to west Harris one windy but bright day a couple of days after we spent an afternoon with her at Callanish.

A burial chamber in someone’s garden near to Horgabost beach on Harris. Thrilling to see as no way would we have spotted it without Margaret’s knowledge and generosity in sharing it.

Our first full day on Lewis, we walked from where we were staying on Great Bernera to the Bostadh Iron Age House. The sun decided to shine and walking down into the white sandy cove was a joy. The Iron Age House was closed as it was Sunday but normally open between noon and 4.00pm.
On the walk back saw a golden eagle, it sat and watched our progress from a high ridge ... my first, one and only, sighting of an eagle in the wild.

Visited 17/5/13
I can’t add very much more to the excellent fieldnotes written by tsc. So this is really just to say I completely agree this is a wonderful site, unlike anywhere I’ve visited before. Had just arrived in Inverness. Friend collected hire car and we headed out in the direction of the historic site of the Battle of Culloden to make our only visit to a prehistoric site on mainland Scotland before starting the journey to Ullapool and Lewis. I was conscious that Callanish/Lewis might diminish my impressions of this visit – no chance.

There are at least four detailed information boards at the site which tell you all you need know plus identify the positions of the various cup marks which appear on some of the stones. The information boards suggest that some are linked to solar alignments.

The site mainly consists of two passage tombs (cairns) with one circular, flatter construction with no entrance which is central to both of the passage tombs – possibly used for cremation. Each of the cairns stand inside quite splendid stone circles. There are other notable features to the site – a solitary outlier in a field as you approach the site (private property) and a collection of large boulder stones just by the entrance.

I did take photographs but had to purchase a new laptop just before I went away and am still trying to fathom out the photo editing function on Windows 8 – so photos may not appear for a while.

Walked up Beacon Hill to the hillfort today. Was in Hampshire with a friend to visit the Sandham Memorial Chapel (which for me was a deeply affecting experience) and the walk up Beacon Hill afterwards somehow seemed totally fitting.
The car park is just off the A34, my first thought was that the noise from the traffic would detract from the enjoyment of the place. Its a long way up though and the noise soon receded – by the time we reached the hillfort at the top the A34 had diminished and could no longer be heard. As we walked round the ramparts a red kite glided by below us. There is a very big sky up there – wonderful cloud formations today and, needless to say, amazing views. Highclere Castle can be clearly seen and the grave of the Fifth Earl of Carnavon aka George Edward Stanhope Molyneux Herbert (Adventurer, Explorer, Archaeologist) who with Howard Carter discovered the tomb of Tutankhamun – is on the edge of the hillfort surrounded by railings.
An amazing place!

Taken from the Coate Water Country Park FB page:

“Coate boasts a host of Bronze Age, Romano-British and Medieval history that spans a period of up to about 3000 years. The oldest known ancient monuments at Coate are the Neolithic Stone Circle and the Bronze age burial mound along Day House Lane. However, no less than six Stone Circles have been recorded in the Coate area linked up, in part, by avenues of large Sarsen stones. The remains of one of the stone circles probably still lies at the bottom of the lake at Coate Water whilst other ancient finds are dotted around the area that include evidence of Medieval settlements.”

Imbolc today, my favourite day of the year and the winter sun was shining in the promise of spring. Met up with my friend (who owns a car) and we headed off into the Cotswolds to Avening (passing through that parallel universe of Tetbury where no-one is poor, disabled, or in any way dishevelled).

Following the directions of thesweetcheat, Carl and Baza, we found the private road easily (about 200 metres past the local school) on the other side of the road. We quickly spotted the place where others have scrambled down the bank under the barbed wire – a bit steep but we went carefully. What a great surprise these two little chambered tombs are – the remains of a third also visible. Set into the bank they reminded me of some of the Irish wedge tombs in size. I’ve since learnt they had been moved from their original site – see Rhiannon’s notes.

Seeing them for the first time without being aware that this was not their original location I have to say they seemed very ‘settled’ into the steep bankside, well camouflaged as they are by fallen leaves, soil and moss. A lovely spot overlooking what today was a fast flowing river.